


A perfectly fitted gift

by Pearlislove



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, scented candles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 13:04:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13100730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlislove/pseuds/Pearlislove
Summary: Romana recieves her Christmas gift from The Doctor.





	A perfectly fitted gift

**Author's Note:**

> My gift for Miopod in Classic Who Secret Santa 2017.

"And here is your Christmas gift, Romana." The Doctor handed Romana a small, pink package with a white bow on top, and she accepted it hesitantly.   
  
Frowning, she turned it upside down, before turning it around again and holding it to her nose. One never could be too careful with gifts from The Doctor, and after the nuclear hairbrush fiasco, Romana felt as though she had the right to be suspicious. "Doctor, my package smell like strawberries. You didn't give me fresh fruit, did you?" She asked, praying he had not been that stupid and unoriginal. She had told The Doctor she wanted something exciting for Christmas this time.   
  
The Doctor shook his head, his brown curls bouncing around his ears. "No, no, why would I buy you fruit? The TARDIS can give you all the fruit you need. Now, open the package and you will see what I got you." The Doctor smiled mischievously, and Romana responded with a defiant frown.   
  
"Alright, then I will." Feeling a bit riled up, Romana violently tore off the lid and threw it aside as she peered into the round container. "Doctor, what is this? Are you sure this is what you bought me?" Confused Romana picked up the cylinder of red wax inside, holding it in front of her partner so he'd see what was in the package. Just seeing it, it made her guts churn uncomfortably.

 

She  _ hated  _ wax.   
  
"Yes, Romana, that is what I bought for you. It's a candle." The Doctor smiled, oblivious to Romana’s distress, and leaned in to smell the block of wax. "I figured it's smell would fit you."   
  
"Smell? Is this where the Strawberry smell is coming from?" Confused, Romana did as The Doctor had and held the candle to her nose. To her surprise, she found that it was indeed the candle giving off the sweet fruit scent she had smelled on the package. Immediately, her gut calmed slightly, relaxing as it wasn’t met with the typical stale smell of candle wax. Romana smiled brightly. "Oh Doctor! It does smell like Strawberries!" She couldn't help but feel impressed. The gift in itself was not very pleasant to behold, but the aroma was amazing. "Candles that smells like fruit, how very exciting!" Twirling the block of wax in her hands, Romana laughed in delight. Never had she gotten a gift so perfectly fitting for her in particular.    
  
Hearing what she was saying, The Doctor smiled back and nodded. "Yes well, I know you never liked the smell of wax. Reminded you of Gallifrey, I think you said." He retrieved another package - green this time - from his pocket. "So I got you two of these instead."   
  
Feeling properly excited now, Romana did all she could to pace herself as she accepted the green package too. Regardless of how she felt, it would not do to appear needy. "Is it apple?" She asked, holding it to her nose. A heavenly whiff of green apple emitted from the small package and she sighed happily. "It's amazing. How did someone even think of putting artificial scent and colouring to candles? It's such an impractically wonderful thing to do."    
  
"Because they are humans, Romana." The Doctor said, his eyes observing Romana as she kept the candle under her nose, enjoying its fascinating smell. She looked beautiful like that, he thought. All carefree and happy and relaxed in a way she never liked being when a person was watching. "Humans are good at seeing love and appreciation in things that are not directly useful to their basic needs. I take it you like it too?"    
  
"Yes" Romana swallowed hard, looking down at her two gifts standing on the table. "When did I tell you I don't like the smell of wax?" She looked up at The Doctor, blinking away sudden tears burning in her eyes.   
  
"You told us so in the candle factory on Delta - 85. You hated it there and we left before our candles were done because the smell bothered you so much. Remember?” The Doctor looked more concerned than happy, now, and Romana swallowed once more, tears all but falling down her cheeks.

 

“Yes. Remind me of home, and Gallifrey and all the other horrible things...” Her voice gave out, and she gave The Doctor a weak, desperate look. “You of all people should know how that feels.” She leans in to The Doctor’s side, burying her head in his chest and crying. Small, fragile sobs that were barely audible as she buried her face against his body.

 

Sighing, The Doctor wrapped his arm tightly arounder her small body. He still wasn’t used to her being so tiny this go around, but he thought he might like it. She fitted better with him, that way, nuzzling against his side and resting and her head against his chest. He didn’t like when his companions were sad, or anything less than happy, really.

 

Feeling slightly desperate, he looked around for something to sooth her, but the only thing close enough to grab without letting go of the small body beside him, was the candles he had given her. Feeling stressed and out of options, he put on one of his normally crazy smiles, grabbing the closest candle - the sweetly smelling Strawberry one - and held it to her nose.

 

“What are you doing?” Looking up from The Doctor's chest, Romana’s eyes were red rimmed but wide with confusion as she sniffed the candle again. She had to admit, she really loved the smell of them. Not a hint of uncomfortable waxy smell remained as the sweet strawberry dominated completely. “Really, Doctor... it smells good and all, but I don’t understand…”

 

“Then smell it, and forget those stupid Time Lords.” The Doctor grinned, one of his normally maniacal grin, but just a little  _ more _ . “After all, that what I do!” It wasn’t a particularly funny joke, but it seemed to do the truck as Romana rewarded him with a small smile.

 

“And your coping techniques are definitely ones to use.” Romana said sarcastically, smiling despite herself. “But again, it does smell nice, Doctor.” She smelled the candles a second time, and her smile grew a little.

 

“That’s what I’m telling you, Romana. Who needs sadness and miserable thoughts about your home planet, when you can appreciate ridiculously unnecessary products made by a fascinating species on a level 5 planet somewhere far away?” He offered Romana the second candle as well watching her closely. “What do you say?”

 

Eye still big in fascination, Romana picked up both candles, drying a few left over years before smelling each of them once more. First she smelled the Strawberry one, then the Apple one. Each of them made her grin grow bigger and brighter, until it was almost as it used to be. As she looked up at The Doctor, her eyes glistened with joy and her smile was one of pure, unlimited happiness. “Merry Christmas, Doctor.” She leaned forward, gently kissing him on the cheek.

 

The Doctor smiled back, pulling her close and hugging her tight, before giving her a feather light kiss on the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, Romana.”


End file.
